TTC staff recommending winter ban on e-bikes and e-scooters due to fire risk
CTV
TTC staff are recommending that the transit service ban lithium-ion-powered mobility devices like e-scooters and e-bikes through the winter months due to the risk of fire in adverse conditions such as salty roads.
TTC staff are recommending that the transit service ban lithium-ion-powered mobility devices like e-scooters and e-bikes through the winter months due to the risk of fire in adverse conditions such as salty roads.
“While supporting micromobility aligns with City goals, including reducing traffic congestion, encouraging sustainable transportation, and contributing to local economic development, the TTC’s primary concern is safety for customers and employees,” a report going before the TTC Board next week states.
If passed, the new rules would prohibit operating, charging, or transporting e-bikes and e-scooters on TTC property and bringing them onboard TTC vehicles during the winter season, from Nov. 15 to April 15.
“This is as a result of the fire safety danger that lithium-ion batteries pose, especially during the winter months,” staff say in the report.
E-bikes and e-scooters have been growing in popularity in the city over the past few years and became more and more common on transit, especially during the pandemic when there was lots of extra room on vehicles.
However there have been growing safety concerns with the devices as they become more commonplace.
The report was prompted by a request from the board back in January for staff to look into fire safety around lithium-ion-powered devices after an e-bike caught fire on-board a subway train near Sheppard-Yonge Station on Dec. 31, 2023. Three people were taken to hospital as a result of the incident.
